ACC Notes: Big wins are important for future success

Published: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 06:47 PM.

They were two victories on two weekends that among the many played during a season might be lost in the shuffle. But to the Atlantic Coast Conference they point to something larger.

The scores were Clemson 38, Georgia 35 and Miami 21, Florida 16 and helped the ACC even its seasonal record against Southeastern Conference foes at 2-2. It gave Clemson and Miami early marquee wins against Top 10 and Top 15 opponents with both in the hunt for the ACC championship. Clemson also has national title aspirations and Coach Dabo Swinney said the ACC can’t be taken seriously until it shows it can compete with the SEC, the nation’s top conference.

“I think as we continue to win those games then those perceptions change,” said Swinney, whose Tigers have risen to No. 3. “Historically the teams that are in this conference have been outstanding.

“I mean, heck, Miami, just in itself, they won a bunch of national championships. We’ve got the tradition and the history from a team standpoint, the teams that are within this conference.”

Swinney said the major obstacle is the lack of the ACC producing a top team each season. The SEC has dominated the landscape with unbeaten or strong one-loss teams. The ACC has woefully lagged behind in that realm with FSU’s 12-win campaign in 2012 only the third in its history.

“The bottom line is, though, if this league produces a 13-0 or 12-1 team, they’re going to be in the mix,” Swinney said. “Part of that is because this league is incredibly competitive and we haven’t had that dominant team like the SEC has.

“The SEC, they’ve had three, four, five teams, that between them, they’ve produced that one team. This league hasn’t done it.”

They were two victories on two weekends that among the many played during a season might be lost in the shuffle. But to the Atlantic Coast Conference they point to something larger.

The scores were Clemson 38, Georgia 35 and Miami 21, Florida 16 and helped the ACC even its seasonal record against Southeastern Conference foes at 2-2. It gave Clemson and Miami early marquee wins against Top 10 and Top 15 opponents with both in the hunt for the ACC championship. Clemson also has national title aspirations and Coach Dabo Swinney said the ACC can’t be taken seriously until it shows it can compete with the SEC, the nation’s top conference.

“I think as we continue to win those games then those perceptions change,” said Swinney, whose Tigers have risen to No. 3. “Historically the teams that are in this conference have been outstanding.

“I mean, heck, Miami, just in itself, they won a bunch of national championships. We’ve got the tradition and the history from a team standpoint, the teams that are within this conference.”

Swinney said the major obstacle is the lack of the ACC producing a top team each season. The SEC has dominated the landscape with unbeaten or strong one-loss teams. The ACC has woefully lagged behind in that realm with FSU’s 12-win campaign in 2012 only the third in its history.

“The bottom line is, though, if this league produces a 13-0 or 12-1 team, they’re going to be in the mix,” Swinney said. “Part of that is because this league is incredibly competitive and we haven’t had that dominant team like the SEC has.

“The SEC, they’ve had three, four, five teams, that between them, they’ve produced that one team. This league hasn’t done it.”

Whether that happens this season is yet to be determined. Clemson and Miami still have No. 10 FSU on the schedule. Clemson and Miami also have been susceptible in the past in games they’ve been favored only to fall in an upset.

Miami, now ranked No. 15, is off this week and Coach Al Golden said the celebration of the win over the Gators was over by early Sunday. He’s aware Miami hasn’t produced in the ACC with the Hurricanes still yet to advance to the title game.

Golden said it will take more wins such as the one against Florida to build Miami’s reputation to that it enjoyed in the early part of the last decade.

“Relative to us, we’re not talking about anything on the outside, just as we did not talk about Florida going into the Florida game,” Golden said. “We’re really not calling it a bye week. We’re calling it a process week. We’re trying to get better. We’re trying to compete every day.”

Nevada injuries: Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo suffered a sprained knee in last week’s 36-7 win over University of California Davis, Coach Bill Polian announced Tuesday. Fajardo was injured in the second quarter but continued to play into the second half and has been listed as day-to-day this week heading into the Wolf Pack’s 2:30 p.m. CDT game at FSU Saturday.

Polian said Fajardo would be limited in practice.

“He’s got to be able to physically protect himself,” he said. “He’s got to be able to physically take care of himself while he’s out there, and if he can’t, we won’t put him out there. And if he can, he will.”

Jimbo Fisher said FSU is preparing as if Fajardo will start. If Fajardo is unable to play, backup Devin Combs will helm the first team. Combs passed for 29 yards and rushed for 29 in last week’s win and also played in Fajardo’s stead in victories over Wyoming and UNLV last season.

Weekly awards: Miami’s Denzel Perryman had a season-high 13 tackles, including nine solos, in the win over Florida and was named the ACC’s linebacker of the week. Teammate Anthony Chickillo had five tackles and a sack in the triumph and earned co-defensive lineman of the week honors.

Andre Williams rushed for a career-high 204 yards and scored a touchdown in Boston College’s 24-10 win over Wake Forest Friday. He was named offensive back of the week, while fellow Eagle Bryce Jones collected an interception and fumble recovery in being honored as the top defensive back.

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